China Centre Maritime (CCM) initiated a project called ‘The Seafarers’ Welfare in Chinese Ports Project (SWiC)’, aiming to examine the adequacy of welfare provisions for ocean-going seafarers when their ships are calling at Chinese sea ports.
The project’s goal is to increase knowledge and understanding regarding accessible welfare facilities and services for visiting seafarers, Chinese and other nationalities, in different types of ports in China.
This knowledge will be used to promote seafarers’ welfare and delivery of relevant services through consensus building among key stakeholders in the maritime sector, Solent University said.
The project’s objectives include the following:
- To critically document and analyse how welfare services for seafarers are organised and operated for world seafarers (including those from China) and to evaluate their effectiveness.
- To establish the most valued services that seafarer organisations and other operators could provide in Chinese ports.
- To help develop port-based welfare work in China from the perspective of seafarers.
- To document the policies of the Chinese government, trade unions, shipping and ship management companies, crewing agencies and other key stakeholders on seafarers’ welfare and their provisions.
- To contribute to the development of best practice concerning provision of welfare services for seafarers by comparing the traditional ‘Western Model’ with the emerging new Chinese Model.
The research is being carried out by the China Centre Maritime (CCM), Warsash School of Maritime Science and Engineering and Southampton Solent University.
Additionally, it is funded from the ITF Seafarers Trust, and with endorsement of Nautilus International (NI), and support of the Merchant Navy Welfare Board (MNWB) and the International Seafarers Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN).
